Slightly less contrasty than my 85mm F1.8 but that's really not surprising given that the 85mm can generate pro level image quality.

I use this lens with a D70 as my 'backpack' setup. This setup is cheap enough that I'm not too concerned about tossing it in a pack.
Note: This lens is pretty similar to the kit 18-70 in terms of overall image quality.

Mine is a mid 04 version. Reputed dust problem hasn't spoiled mine yet, but I've only been using it about 2 months. I'd rate the lens a 5 for value and a 4.5 overall.